A communications system (e.g., a communications network) commonly includes a number of communication devices, such as mobile communication devices (e.g., user equipments (UEs) or mobile access points) and non-mobile communication devices (e.g., fixed base stations). For instance, a wireless telecommunications network may include a number base stations.
In a communications network, it is sometimes necessary for a communication device to use a parameter setting that is distinguishable from those used by other communication devices that neighbor the communication device. For example, in a wireless telecommunications network, a base station may need to transmit a locally unique Reference Signal (RS) to enable UEs operating within the base station's cell to identify the cell and to synchronize to a downlink transmission. Accordingly, the base station may need to select (or have assigned) an RS that is different from the RSs used by the base station's neighboring base stations.
In another example, to reduce inter-cell interference, a base station should choose (or be assigned) a frequency band for transmission that is not being used by any neighboring base stations. This is the classical frequency planning methodology commonly practiced in second generation networks, such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).
There exists other occasions when a communication device may need to choose a parameter setting, such as a transmit power and beam direction, in such a way that the chosen parameter setting (e.g., transmit power and beam direction) is compatible with the parameter settings of neighboring communication devices in order to optimize performance of the entire network. In an example involving the heterogeneous network deployment of Long Term Evolution (LTE), base stations of different transmit power may selectively avoid transmitting data in certain time frames to reduce inter-cell interference. A number of patterns indicating the frames to be silenced are defined, and each base station may need to choose one that is most compatible with its neighbors' choices.
Accordingly, when designing a communications network in which a parameter setting used by a given communication device may negatively affect the performance of other communication devices depending on the parameter settings chosen by those other communication devices, it may be necessary to coordinate in a central fashion which communication device in the network will use a particular parameter setting. In many instances, these influences between communication devices are static in nature, and, thus, advanced planning during the build-out of the network can solve or reduce these interference problems. In existing cellular networks, for example, the parameters may be set by planning tools that have access to information such as communication device locations and radio propagation characteristics. Once an optimal network-wide solution is found, the parameter settings remain unchanged for an extended period until the deployment configuration changes.
While methods and devices to choose or assign parameter settings exist, there is, nonetheless, a desire for improving the selection of parameter settings.